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渦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
渦wōeddy, swirl, whirlpoolx, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #95863, Very Hard
wō(wo1)wo T1
  1. 1eddy, swirl, whirlpool
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March 24, 2026

渦wō(wo1)

The character 渦 (wō) refers to a swirling motion, often associated with water, such as in an eddy or whirlpool. It conveys a sense of circular movement and can be used in both literal and metaphorical contexts, such as describing tumultuous situations or emotions.

Strokes12Radical氵Frequency#95863DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, water symbolism often represents change and fluidity, and the concept of swirling waters can relate to philosophical ideas about the nature of existence and the impermanence of life.

Memory tip

Imagine a whirlpool in a river, where the water swirls around in a circular motion. The character 渦 looks like a wave (the water) with a spiral inside, reminding you of the eddy's swirling nature. The 'wō' sound can be connected to 'whirlpool' to aid pronunciation.

Meanings of 渦

wō(wo1)
1eddy, swirl, whirlpool
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 渦

渦Simplified
12Strokes
氵Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 渦

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Podcast: 渦

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AI Study Notes for 渦

Quick Contrast

涡 (guō) refers to a whirlpool or vortex, specifically in a physical context, while 渦 (wō) can also imply a more abstract swirling motion or tumultuous situation.

Usage Notes

This term is more commonly used in written Chinese and may come across as formal in everyday conversation. Be cautious with its tone; mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words. Common collocations include '渦流' (eddy current) and '漩渦' (whirlpool).

HSK Study Tips

Although 渦 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it relates to HSK Level 4-5 words involving water and movement, such as 水 (water) and 流 (flow). Students should focus on the concept of motion in these contexts to fully grasp its nuances.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 渦 with other water-related terms like 湍 (tuān, torrent) and 漩 (xuán, swirl). To clarify, remember that 渦 specifically implies a circular swirling motion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 渦

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Etymology of 渦

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

A mouth 咼 made of water 氵

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 渦?

Decomposition of 渦

IDS Structure⿰氵咼
渦Full character
=
氵shui3
left
咼guo1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 渦?

How to say eddy, swirl, whirlpool in Chinese

“eddy, swirl, whirlpool” in Chinese is渦wō

The character 渦 (wō) refers to a swirling motion, often associated with water, such as in an eddy or whirlpool. It conveys a sense of circular movement and can be used in both literal and metaphorical contexts, such as describing tumultuous situations or emotions.

When to use 渦

This term is more commonly used in written Chinese and may come across as formal in everyday conversation. Be cautious with its tone; mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words. Common collocations include '渦流' (eddy current) and '漩渦' (whirlpool).

渦 or something close to it

涡 (guō) refers to a whirlpool or vortex, specifically in a physical context, while 渦 (wō) can also imply a more abstract swirling motion or tumultuous situation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 渦 with other water-related terms like 湍 (tuān, torrent) and 漩 (xuán, swirl). To clarify, remember that 渦 specifically implies a circular swirling motion.

Write 渦

渦

Practice writing 渦 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 渦

Words containing this character10
漩涡eddy漩渦
涡轮turbine渦輪
涡guōeddy渦
旋涡xuánwōspiral旋渦
涡旋eddy渦旋
涡阳县Guoyang county in Bozhou 亳州[Bó​zhōu], Anhui渦陽縣
涡阳Guoyang county in Bozhou 亳州[Bó​zhōu], Anhui渦陽
酒涡dimple酒渦
笑涡dimple笑渦
旋涡星云spiral nebula旋渦星雲
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 渦

What does 漩涡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 渦

Synonyms include 漩渦 (xuánwō), which specifically means whirlpool, and 旋涡 (xuánwō), which is another term for an eddy.

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